Have you ever thought about how much wasted food you throw in the trash every year? Every month? Each and every week?! It honestly sickens me to think about the volume of consumables we, as a family, pitch in the garbage on a regular basis! Not only do we think about the effect on our provinces landfills and the environmental impact, but also on our wallets! We really hate to see food end up in the garbage, so we do our best to eat up what we cook, and come up with creative ways to use up leftovers.

“According to the National Zero Waste Council’s research on household food waste in Canada, almost 2.2 million tonnes of edible food is wasted each year, costing Canadians in excess of $17 billion. In addition to the economic costs, food waste has substantial environmental impacts.”

National Zero Waste Council

Besides simply eating up the leftover chicken and potatoes for another meal, there are a plethora of other – more creative – ways to use up leftovers! Cooking wilted spinach in an omelette or turning leftover rice into some tasty sushi rolls! The possibilities really are endless! But here are a few suggestions to take your leftovers to the next level!

Simple Lunch Wraps and Yummy Quesadillas

Got some grilled steak or chicken breasts wrapped up in the fridge? Slice it up, add some lettuce and other veggies, throw on some cheese, and top it with a little dressing! Voila!! A simple and filling wrap – perfect for a weekday lunch! If the wrap is too heavy or you have gluten restrictions, swap it out for romaine lettuce!

Let’s take the simple wrap to the next level! An easy quesadilla makes a great lunch or dinner appetizer! I usually spray my frying pan with Pam and lay one tortilla wrap on the bottom. Add a layer of shredded cheese and your sliced leftover meat. Be careful not to go overboard on the filling or it just won’t work. Add another layer of shredded cheese over top and then the second tortilla. Cook (or grill) on medium heat to ensure the cheese melts and holds the quesadilla together. Flip it once and press it with a heavy pan. Cut it up into manageable pieces and serve with salsa and sour cream!

Fresh Rolls

What is a fresh roll?? Found in Thai and Vietnamese cuisine, a fresh roll is a combination of rice noodles, veggies, and lean protein wrapped in rice paper. Fresh rolls are typically served cold and are served with a peanut dipping sauce. Well, sign me up!! Though I’ve never made these myself, I feel you can put pretty much anything in them! Making a batch of fresh rolls is a great way to use up leftover noodles, veggies, and what ever meat or seafood you may in the fridge.

Personal Pizzas

Kids and the dreaded “Mom, I want a snack!”, make me want to pull my hair out!! Sometimes a simple apple or cheese string won’t cut it. So, why not have the kiddos make their own personal pizzas!! These can be made relatively quickly on english muffins, pitas, bagels, or tortillas. Top them with a little leftover pasta sauce and whatever else is in fridge – chicken, bacon, grilled veggies – top with a little cheese and grill for a few minutes to melt!

Pasta Casserole

I think we’ve all repurposed leftover ham, turkey, or roast beef into an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink casserole at one time or another! Beef Stroganoff is my family’s favourite! I cook onions, mushrooms, and peppers in a skillet and add leftover grilled steak or roast beef. After cooking the noodles, I mix mushroom soup, sour cream, and some seasonings and mix everything together! Using up leftovers doesn’t have to mean boring!!

Are you considering trying Noom?! Check out my month one review post!

Next Level Salad

This past fall, I created the same “leftovers” salad about three days a week! Start with the simple basics of whatever greens and veggies you have in the fridge! Next, in a frying pan, throw in some leftover rice and protein (I also sauted some mushrooms) and add this mixture to your salad. Top it with your favourite dressing. I use Garlic and Mango Dressing from The Garlic Box. #shoplocal

Stir Fry

Pretty self explanatory and always a hit with the fam!! This is another great opportunity to use up the veggies in your fridge that have nearly reached the end of their life. Add some fresh – or leftover – protein, a tasty sauce to tie it all together and dinner is served. Eat on it’s own or over a bed or rice or noodles!

Smoothie

Spinach kind of wilted? Add it to your smoothie! Grapes not as plump? Add them to your smoothie! When your bananas get over-ripe, either bake banana bread (duh!) or freeze them for your breakfast smoothies! Smoothies are so versatile – and healthy – and are a great way of using up produce that’s about to expire! Apples, cucumber, celery, peaches, cherries … whatever you have to use up – just blend it for a simple and delicious summer breakfast!

Soup or Stew

We’ve all saved our chicken or turkey carcasses to make a delish and satisfying soup, but there’s many more options to explore! Leftover potatoes (mashed or whole) can be repurposed into a stick-to-your-bones chowder with ham (another leftover) or even seafood. Cook too much pasta last night? Use the remnants for chicken noodle soup or create a unique ramen-style soup. Soups and stews are such an easy dish to throw together – using leftovers!

Quiche

Breakfast, lunch, or dinner – quiche is delicious any time of day! Start with the crust. I usually make my own from scratch, but a store bought, ready to use, pie shell will work just the same (tart shells would be fun, too!). For your filling, use up any leftover protein and veggies you may have in the fridge! Bake until set and enjoy! Eat it on it’s own or whip up a quick side salad to accompany your dish!

So many creative ways to use up leftovers – and these are just a few suggestions! Smarter grocery shopping habits, meal planning, and utilizing and repurposing your leftovers are just a few ways we can all do our part in reducing food waste.

Share some of your fave recipes in the comments that use leftovers!